Rebirth in the force
by You're out of your vulcan mind
Summary: (Repost) Obi Wan saves Qui Gon after the battle at great personal cost to himself. Now he must figure out how to go on with a new master while dealing with the changes put upon him while Qui Gon continues his quest to train the chosen one.
1. Chapter 1

Qui Gon Jinn's eyes snapped open as he sat up suddenly. He'd been on Naboo. He'd been dying. Obi Wan had… Obi Wan. Qui realized he couldn't feel the presence in his mind that had been his companion for twelve years. The training bond had been severed. He looked wildly around. He was in the healing wing in the Jedi temple. He didn't remember being brought there. The last thing he remembered was Obi Wan by his side, and he had been slipping away to become one with the Force… and then there had been a strange new strength that had filled him. His injury had begun healing and a comforting warmth washed over him. As he healed the strength started to fade. He was almost completely healed when the strength suddenly vanished. The abrupt departure of his support left him unbalanced and he had quickly fallen into unconsciousness. What had Obi Wan done?

He became aware of a presence near him. Anakin. The young boy was fast asleep on a chair near the side of his bed. Qui smiled softly at the innocence of the child. The gentle swoosh of the door opening drew his attention away from Anakin. Yoda walked in, leaning heavily on his gimer stick.

"Finally rejoin us, you have."

"Where is Obi Wan?"

Yoda looked at him sadly. "You concern, he is no longer."

"He is not dead?"

"No."

Relief flooded Qui Gon. "What happened then?"

"Healed you, he did. Used his own life Force, at a great cost to himself."

"Where is he?"

"Your padwan, he is no longer. Decided that yourself before."

Qui Gon frowned. "But I wish to see him"

"Concern yourself with your new charge. Young Skywalker."

"The council agreed to let me train him?" Qui Gon looked at the sleeping youth with a gentle tenderness.

"Too dangerous it is now to not train him."

"And Obi Wan?"

"The council's responsibility now, he is."

"How is he? I wish to see him."

Yoda looked at the floor. "Decided that he was no longer your concern, you did. Perhaps wish to see you, he does not."

And with that Yoda left the room.

xxx

Mace stood by the bedside with as the Healer checked on the patient.

"How is he?"

The Healer smiled softly. "He should be waking up soon." She glanced back at the patient. "I've never seen anything like this before."

"Never before in the history of Jedi, such a thing has happened." Yoda stated as he entered the room.

The Healer nodded toward the diminutive master and Mace Windu as she too her leave.

Mace sat down heavily in a chair. "What are we going to do with him?"

"The state of his mind must be determined first, before any action, we can take."

A soft groan from the bed attracted the attention of the masters back to the patient.

The patient was an eight year old boy, with soft ginger hair. He slowly began to stir. His eyes snapped open when Mace Windu put a comforting had on his shoulder.

"Master Windu." The boy croaked. He winced and cleared his throat before continuing. "I'm in the healer's wing?"

"Yes." Mace Windu smiled encouragingly. "Do you remember what happened Obi Wan?"

A/N: Dun Dun Dun! What happened to Obi Wan?

I hope it was all in character. Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

"What's happened to me?" Obi wan stared at his hands in shock. "I'm… I'm a-"

"A child."

Obi wan shook his head. "But I'm not."

"Obi wan." Mace sighed as he sat next to the bed. "We need you to tell us what happened in that fight. What did you do?"

"I don't know… Qui Gon, he was hurt, no he was dying… and I couldn't let that happen… but I don't know, I did what the force told me to do and it- it hurt so much but I had to do it. What did I do?" Obi wan looked up at Mace with teary eyes.

"I don't know." Mace smiled softly. "I wish I did, but- nothing like this has ever happened before."

Obi Wan closed his eyes. "Figures… I always did have to go and be different." He tried for a grin, but it didn't quite work.

"It worked. Whatever you did, it worked. Qui Gon is alive and well. The battle was won."

Obi Wan nodded softly. "And Anakin? We'd left him in a ship. He is alright?"

"Yes. He handled himself just fine."

"Good." Obi Wan stared at his hands now folded on his lap. "I don't want to see them. Is that wrong?"

"You've been through quite a shock today."

"I don't want him to know. About this. Please."

Mace looked grim. "He will find out eventually."

"Please not yet."

Mace nodded, giving in.

"What's going to happen to me now? Qui Gon has a new padawan and it's not like I can be a knight when I'm so- small?"

"I think this is where Yoda would say, 'size matters not'" Mace offered a smile while Yoda nodded. "You will be a knight. Have no fear of that. But until then," Mace put a hand on his shoulder, "I've been without an apprentice for a long time now, and it would be my honor if you would consider remedying that for me." Obi wan looked up with wide eyes. "What do you think?"

"Thank you so much Master."

Mace patted his shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "You should probably sleep now."

"However I might look, I'm not a child." Obi Wan responded

"No, but you are still very weak and need to recover." Mace stood up. "And I think your good friend Bant would have my head if I didn't make some effort to make you rest."

Obi wan winced. "She knows?"

"Well I am your primary health care provider. Of course I do." Bant smiled as she walked in with a tray of food. "Goodbye Master Windu, Master Yoda."

Mace raised an eyebrow at her, but the two powerful Jedi exited without further comment.

"When did that happen?"

"When I filled out your forms ages back. The ones you and Master Jinn seemed to have a phobia of." She grinned again.

Obi Wan spread his arms wide. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Bant shook her head and took him into a hug. "I don't think that's what you need right now. What ever you did… it was amazing, you saved Qui Gon's life." She squeezed him a bit tighter before letting him go and busying herself with the tray. "So I'll give you a couple of days before I start going on about how adorable you are."

Obi wan glared at her. "Thanks a lot."

"I will say that you are handling this rather well."

"I might look like I belong in the crèche, but I am 25 years old." Obi Wan snapped. "What am I supposed to do otherwise?"

"Panic a little bit? Have a bit of a tantrum?" At the look Obi Wan shot her she quickly amended, "a very mature adultish tantrum. Just have some reaction. You're always so calm about everything, but this is different."

Obi wan sighed. "Perhaps later."

She put a hand on his arm. "Well when you do, I'll be here."

He gave her a small smile. "Thank you."


	3. Chapter 3

Qui Gon was finally released from the healers' wing a few days later. There was still no word from Obi Wan, and it worried him a great deal. All he had been given thus far from Mace was that Obi Wan was alive, had used his life force to heal him, and wished to not see him. He had tried to contact his former padawan through the training bond, but it was gone. It had not been severed, it was simply gone. It felt like it had never been there in the first place. Another mystery that neither he nor the other masters had been able to explain.

Anakin had been his constant companion throughout his stay in the ward, and now was never away from his side. Qui Gon appreciated his companionship a great deal. The child's earnestness and enthusiasm helped keep him from brooding over Obi Wan's abandonment and kept him focused on the here and now.

Spending time with Anakin solidified in his mind that he had made the right choice in bringing the boy to the temple, and he was glad that he had been allowed to train him. Though losing Obi Wan in such a way stung greatly, he had no doubt that this was a sign from the Force and that he had no choice but to obey.

xxx

"Mace!"

Mace Windu turned to see his old friend coming to greet him in the dining hall. "Qui Gon."

"It's been a week since I've last seen you. Since anyone really has seen you. You never come around here anymore."

Mace shrugged, "I have been rather busy."

Qui Gon was not sure how to handle his friend's rather cool demeanor. "I hear you have a new padawan. How has he been doing?"

"He has been fine, and is the reason I've been busy. I'm sure you understand, having your own new padawan to take care of."

"Yes. When they are so young they tend to keep you on your toes."

"Indeed." Mace turned as if to leave, so Qui Gon put a hand on his shoulder.

"Have I done something wrong to upset you?"

Mace sighed, he'd just hoped to get two meals to bring back to his quarters and really just wanted to avoid talking to the other master. Since taking on Obi Wan as a padawan he had found out just how much pain Obi Wan had suffered in the Council Chambers when Qui Gon had essentially rejected him in favor of Anakin, and he knew that if he spent to much time with the other man, he might just show how much that angered him, which would essentially ruin Obi Wan's secret. "I'm just bringing meals back to my quarters for me and my padawan."

"Why did he not come down with you?"

"He's been feeling under the weather." Mace smiled and nodded tightly at Qui Gon. "I'll be seeing you around."

Xxx

Obi Wan was growing frustrated as he attempted to do the kata again. It was a rather advanced one, but he had mastered it several years ago. Now though he couldn't quite get his smaller, less agile body to cooperate.

"You're pushing yourself too hard." Mace said softly as he entered the room with two meals balanced in one hand. "I do not need to use the force to sense the frustration coming from you now."

"I'm sorry master."

Mace shook his head. "I've never thought I'd have to say this to a padawan but if you continue to practice-"

"I've been able to do this exercise for years though." Obi Wan interrupted.

"In a 25 year old body that had been conditioned to be capable of moving in such a way. Obi Wan, you will get back there soon enough, and be all the more capable and skilled when you do."

Obi Wan looked down. "17 years isn't exactly soon."

Mace set down the meals on the table. "It'll pass though. And your connection with the force is still as strong as it was when you still had your 25 year old body. And it will only grow stronger with age."

Obi Wan didn't look entirely mollified, but he went to get utensils. Mace sighed, he felt for the young bo-man and could only imagine what frustrations he would feel if their places had been reversed.

"Master," Obi Wan started hesitantly as he came back into the living room. "What about my classes? I still haven't finished the last of my senior classes, but with-" he gestured at himself, "I don't know what to do. I can't very well go in to those lessons like this. If nothing else the news of my… new circumstances, will fuel the temple gossip fire for months. But if your new padawan doesn't go to any lessons…"

"That too will start the tongues wagging." Mace finished for his new charge. It had been something he had been thinking about and he was glad that Obi Wan had been the first bring it up as he had not wanted to push the still traumatized boy into anything he was not ready for just yet. On top of that the council had deemed it best that morning to limit as best possible the number of people aware of Obi Wan's change to only those who were responsible for his teaching and wellbeing, and perhaps his closest of friends. "What do you suggest?"

"I-" Obi Wan looked reluctant. "I should go to the kata and lightsaber classes that are appropriate for my… physical age. It should help me become more used to this shape again and the exercise will be suited to the needs of this body. But for the classes in theory and such I do not know what to do. I still remember everything from before, but I am reluctant to go to senior padawnan classes in this form."

Mace smiled, "You are very wise young padawan to accept the restrictions that you find placed upon yourself. I will speak to your teachers so they are apprised of the situation and when you are fully cleared by the healers you can start going to lightsaber class again. As for your theory classes, you still appear very young. Tutoring would not be unusual for one of your apparent age, so if it is acceptable you can continue your lessons in that way."

Obi Wan nodded, relieved. "Yes, that would be very acceptable."

"The council has discussed you for some length. It has been deemed best that it would be best to limit the number of people aware of what you have done as best we can. There are many people who are not fond of you and Master Jinn, and there are dark forces who would no doubt be intrigued by what you were able to do to save that pig headed fool." Obi Wan's mouth twitched a little upwards at the insult, "Not to mention the advantages there are to having people underestimate you, at least on missions."

"I understand."

"That means we must discuss a new name for you to use in public."

"Whatever you think will be easiest for you to remember Master." Obi Wan responded cheekily.

Mace smiled. "Right, so something simple, one syllable. Ben?"

Obi Wan tilted his head slightly in agreement. There was nothing for him to object to in that name.

"And we at the council discussed at length your trials."

Obi Wan looked down, he had been only months away at most from being ready to face his trials and become a knight. He would never be able to face them in this child form.

"As far as we are concerned, there is nothing we could do that would try you more than this. You have shown in the battle with the Sith great Skill, Courage, Spirit, and Insight. And what you have suffered is one of the greatest trials of the Flesh we could imagine. You have passed the trials."

Obi Wan gaped at his Master. "But- I can't be a knight. Not like this."

"No. It would not be wise. But when you are ready to accept the title, we will bestow it to you. Until then, I hope that there is still some things I can teach you."


	4. Chapter 4

Anakin was enjoying himself in the temple immensely. Qui Gon was the awesomest master ever and people were always really nice. Everyone always seemed interested in the whole 'chosen one' story, and while it had bothered Anakin at first to think that that might be all people would care about for him he had started to embrace it. He was important. He was the best. How wizard was that?

Plus lightsaber training, which he was heading to, was totally awesome. He quickly picked up on it, a complete natural according to the teacher, pleasing Qui Gon to no end. He knew he could beat anyone in his age group already.

Today there was a new face in the class. A quiet very young looking ginger boy who stood off to the side not really interacting with anyone else. Everyone else was pairing off for sparring warm ups, so Anakin decided to take pity on the small kid. After all he himself was still new, and how awesome would it be for this little kid to practice sparring with the Chosen One?

"Do you want to spar with me?"

The kid looked up at him in surprise. There was something very familiar about his eyes, but Anakin couldn't quite place his finger on what it was. They looked much older than they had any right to be. "I think I should work by myself for a bit, thank you though."

Anakin frowned, he hadn't expected the rejection, gentle as it was. "Everyone else is pairing up. Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

The boy glared at him. "Why would you expect that you would have to go easy on me?"

"Cause you're tiny." Anakin shrugged, "And I am really good."

The boy snorted. "You've been training for a week at the most, I've been training for years. How can you claim you're 'really' good?"

"Because that's what the masters said." Anakin snapped back. "And besides I'm the chosen one. I'm the best."

**Xxx Obi Wan's Point of View xxX**

Obi Wan took a deep breath to release the frustration he was developing with the boy in front of him, he really just had wanted to practice by himself for this lesson. "The best?"

"I'm the most powerful Jedi to ever exist. Don't you know the story?"

"I do." Obi Wan smiled bitterly. This child was reminding him so much of Bruck, it actually disturbed him. Bruck had become an easy target for the dark side because of his pride and his arrogance, and Obi Wan had to wonder at how wise it was to have taught Anakin so much about his legend before he had learned what it meant to be a Jedi. He would have thought that Qui Gon would have recognized the danger, especially since he had never let Obi Wan forget what happened to Xantos. "But greatness does not come from power, it comes from how you handle power or the lack of it." Obi Wan saw that everyone else in the class was already paired off and sparring, if he didn't want to attract attention it would be best at this point just to work with Anakin and spar. "As everyone else seems to have paired up, let us just begin."

Anakin glared, but ignited his training blade and took an aggressive stance. Obi Wan chose a more defensive pose and eyed Anakin's form critically. His stance was too wide, robbing Anakin of a portion of balance and potential propelling force that could be critical in a battle. His arms were too stiff and the hands were not placed optimally, his grip on the blade could be loosened easily, and the stiff limbs would project any move that the boy could try to make. He wanted to correct Anakin, but was fairly certain how well that would go.

He didn't have much time to think of a diplomatic way to start suggesting improvements as Anakin swung forcefully at his head. He fell back and continued to do so with every swing forcing Anakin to advance. This way he was able to see how Anakin moved.

For the amount of time he had been training Anakin was quite good, could have even been considered a natural Obi Wan thought, but there were many faults that would need to be overcome before he could be considered truly good. Obi Wan had another flashback to Bruck as he studied how Anakin moved, like Bruck everything about his style was aggressive, though Anakin seemed to be relying on brute force more than any real technique. With Anakin being fair size larger than Obi Wan that could have worked if Obi Wan had been his physical age. But it would have failed miserably against any opponent even slightly larger than Anakin assuming they were at the same skill level. Obi Wan was surprised no one had started correcting him on that. His footwork was shoddy as well, the stances were always too wide and his swings were too heavy, slowing him down as he moved forward.

Anakin was clearly becoming more irritated as Obi Wan continued to just fall back, barely engaging at all. "C'mon, fight." He growled.

Obi Wan quirked an eyebrow. It was really just a matter of picking which way to end this fight, he could show off a bit, or end it using just the techniques he would have learned by this age. A mix of both could be good. He was able to move much faster than Anakin and because of Anakin's grip on his lightsaber was able to quickly knock it from his grasp. He paused to allow Anakin to recall his blade, but Anakin just gaped at him.

"How did you do that?" Anakin asked with some wonderment clear in his voice.

"Your grip makes it easy to knock the blade from your hands, it's all about the leverage of the blade. You should hold it like this." Obi Wan showed the way he was holding his saber. He was surprised that Anakin had asked, and a little glad for it, Bruck wouldn't have asked, he would have just got mad, perhaps Anakin would be open to more help then. "Recall your blade, I can show you how to start better."

"There's nothing wrong with the way that I start." Anakin snapped, the anger and aggression that had made Obi Wan uneasy back. "You wouldn't do anything at the beginning anyway."

Obi Wan sighed. "Because I didn't need to. You project your moves long before you make them because your arms are too stiff. May I help you learn how to not do that?"

**Xxx Anakin's Point of View xxX**

Anakin felt frustrated, first the kid didn't want to fight, when they were fighting he wouldn't do anything but duck, then the kid knocks his blade from his hands and presumes that means he is a better fighter. "I do just fine. Who do you think you are anyway?"

"I am Ben." The kid replied calmly. "I don't mean to cause offense, but I can help you learn how to fight better if you will allow me."

Anakin recalled his blade, he just felt angry now. "I don't need help, especially not from shrimp like you. Just fight."

**Xxx Obi Wan's POV xxX**

Obi Wan jumped out of the way from a particularly vicious slash. Anakin was moving faster now, not from any improvement in stance or grip but from the rage fueling his movements. He had more visions of Bruck, and something else nudging at the back of his mind, a very bad feeling about all of this. He needed to end this fight quickly.

He engaged the downward swing of Anakin's and was able to push him back with a little help from the force. Anakin's heavy slashes left him open to attack on the upswing, Obi Wan took advantage of this and quickly landed a killing blow in the middle of Anakin's chest.

Anakin stared at him in disbelief, so Obi Wan bowed politely. "Excuse me, I must go now." He quickly walked away, briefly making sure that the Teacher, who'd been working with another pair, saw that he was leaving.

There was a darkness that was unsettling within Anakin, and his infamous 'bad feeling' sense was sounding off alarms in the back of his mind. He should talk to Master Windu, but about what exactly he was not sure. He needed to meditate and clear his mind, hopefully the Force would be able to provide some answers.


	5. Chapter 5

Mace found his padawan in the gardens meditating that afternoon. There was some anxiety in his apprentice, and he suspected that it had something to do with his encounter with Anakin in the morning. The lightsaber training master, Master Dralig had informed him that they had not seemed to get along so well. Master Dralig had been frustratingly short on details of what exactly between the two though. "Ben-" Mace looked around but saw nor sensed no one else within hearing distance, "Obi Wan. I've been looking for you."

Obi Wan broke out of his meditation, jumping to attention quickly, "I apologize Master. I've been preoccupied."

"And what preoccupies you?" Mace asked, sitting down in the grass. Obi Wan joined him.

"I'm sure you know. Master Dralig would have told you." Obi Wan replied, studying his Master's face and reaching through the bond to find out what exactly his Master knew.

"Yes. But he didn't have the full story. Which I would appreciate hearing from you."

"I am concerned about Anakin. Today during class I felt unnerving amounts of darkness from him." Obi Wan sighed. "I had initially tried to turn him down when he offered to spar, but he took it badly. When we sparred he was disturbingly aggressive, I could not help but think of my old classmate, Bruck Chun." Obi Wan looked sad at the memory of his fellow initate Mace noted. He could remember Initiate Chun quite well and recalled how badly Obi Wan had taken his death. "He was easily antagonized even when I did not mean to upset him, and he used anger to fuel his movements while we dueled." Obi Wan sighed. "I've been searching the Force now for what to do about my concerns, if I should even have such concerns. I must admit I have a very bad feeling about all of this, but thus far answers have been elusive and the Force has been cloudy."

"These are not so different from the concerns the Council had when first presented with Anakin, as you remember." Mace responded, putting a gentle hand on Obi Wan's shoulder. "I will take your bad feeling into account as I figure out how to approach Qui Gon about this," he pretended not to notice Obi Wan's surprise that he didn't dismiss Obi Wan's premonitions. "They have a tendency to be uncannily accurate."

"Thank you Master." Obi Wan replied.

Mace smiled, and decided to change the subject to another that had been intriguing him about his new apprentice. "You studied the form of Ataru with Qui Gon, but in the time you've been able to practice I see you studying Soresu, the defensive form. Why?"

"I-" Obi Wan frowned. "Qui Gon was cut down because Ataru lacks defensive capabilities and it uses so much energy that by the time we came across the Sith both of us were exhausted. So many mistakes were made in that fight and I almost lost Master Jinn because of that." Obi Wan was looking to the distance, lost in the past. He quickly shook it off and turned back to Mace, hanging his head in shame "I think I've become afraid. I apologize Master."

Mace shook his head at his young charge. "Why do you apologize?"

Obi Wan fiddled with the hem of his tunic, seeming to be more the eight year old that he looked to be than the 25 year old he was. "I apologize for being afraid. I do not want to disappoint you."

"And how do you disappoint me? What I have seen from you is not fear. What you show to me is that you have learned from a traumatic experience. That is something I am proud of you for."

Obi Wan continued to not meet Mace's eyes. "Soresu is not one of the most prized forms of combat though."

"So?"

"You are one of the greatest swordsman Master-"

Mace raised his hand, cutting the boy off. "I am called a great swordsman because I invented a style, a lethal style; but who is greater Padawan, the creator of a killing form or the master of the classic form? Soresu is undervalued because it lacks flash, but a true master of the form can be invincible." He contemplated his apprentice and inwardly he smirked. "I think perhaps it is a style meant for you, young one."


	6. Chapter 6

"Anakin," Qui Gon greeted his young padawan as the boy entered their quarters. "How was your day little one?"

Anakin sighed. "It was fine. I did well in history class."

"And how was lightsaber training this morning?" Qui Gon pressed.

Anakin just shrugged. "It was okay."

Qui Gon frowned at his student's reticence "Master Dralig said you worked with a new student this morning." That had been all Dralig would say, but the look in the battlemaster's eyes had spoken of something more to the story that he hoped to glean from his charge.

"Yeah." Anakin had yet to make eye contact with his master.

"Who was he?"

"Ben." Anakin sat down on the couch and started to fiddle with the hem of his shirt. "He didn't like me very much."

Qui Gon frowned. He had been concerned about how Anakin would be treated. Xantos of course never had had any problems with other initiates but Qui Gon could remember difficulties that Obi Wan had had with other students due to their rocky start as a Master-Padawan team. Poor Anakin was coming from even more disadvantageous circumstances with an added burden of his role of the prophesy dropped on his shoulders. He would have to make a note to talk to this Ben's Master soon. "Please tell me what happened Anakin."

"He just…" Anakin sighed. "He didn't want to spar with me, and he didn't believe I'm the chosen one, and he wouldn't do anything when we were fighting, and he kept criticizing everything I did when we did spar."

"He didn't believe you were the chosen one?" Qui Gon raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Why did he not believe that?"

Anakin shrugged. "I dunno. He was like 'greatness does not come from power' or something like that. And then he was saying that I couldn't be really good at the saber because I've only been training for a week while he's been training for years. But I am really good, you and Master Dralig both said so." Anakin took a deep breath and released it. "He just wasn't very nice. And he beat me and then ran away."

Qui Gon wrapped an arm around his apprentice. "I'm sorry Anakin. I'll speak to the boy's master."

"You don't need to do that." Anakin protested, there was still something within him from Tatooine that made him afraid of ever tattling on someone. The consequences for them tended to be horribly severe. "I'll talk to Ben later, it'll be fine."

"It is not becoming of any Jedi to be unkind to others Anakin. I don't want this Ben to give you a hard time as you learn to adjust to the temple."

"Ben's just a shrimpy kid anyway. He looked younger than me. It'll be fine." Anakin tried to reassure his Master.

"Even so, if Ben is harboring negative feelings such as those it is important for his master to know." The door chime started ringing. As Qui Gon went to answer it, Anakin, relieved to be out from his master's scrutiny scurried off to his room. He was working on his speeder model and was hoping to get it done by the evening.

"Mace." Qui Gon smiled at his old friend. "It is good of you to drop by." He paused as he waved him inside, "As long as it isn't council business, my friend."

Mace smiled back. "No it is not. Just business from one master of a young padawan to another."

"It's been awhile since you've had to deal with a youngling." Qui Gon gave the other master a knowing look, "Has he been running you off your feet?"

Mace shook his head as he sat down in one of the chairs in the living room with a sigh. "Ben… is quite mature for age."

"Ben?" Qui Gon raised an eyebrow. He would have thought that any padawan of Mace Windu's would've been better behaved than what Anakin had described. "You're Ben's Master?"

"You've met Ben?" Mace asked, surprised. Obi Wan would have mentioned if he had an actual encounter with his old master.

"No." Qui Gon answered quickly, curious at how surprised his friend looked at the possibility of them meeting. "Anakin did. And what he said worried me about Ben."

Mace's smile took on a twinge of bitterness, why was he not surprised. "And what Ben told me worried me about Anakin."

Qui Gon narrowed his eyes. "You never needed an excuse to worry about Anakin."

Mace raised his hands in a placating manner. "I am not here as a member of the council Qui Gon. I merely came to discuss what occurred between our padawans. Ben mentioned that he felt great anger in Anakin and it disturbed him."

"I'm not surprised he 'felt anger' in Anakin. That's exactly what you said when the boy was first presented to the council." Qui Gon countered. "Anakin told me that Ben was unfriendly and overly critical during their lesson. It's little wonder that Anakin was upset, the boy has gone through a lot recently and he is understandably sensitive."

"Qui Gon, I didn't come here to upset you. Ben… was disturbed by the encounter. He is very strong in the Unifying Force and he said that the encounter gave him a bad feeling for the future."

"Obi Wan got those 'bad feelings' all the time, Mace. You should teach your padawan to focus on the present, the Living Force. The future is unreliable and always in flux."

Mace frowned deeply. "If I recall, Master Jinn, your former padawan's so called 'bad feelings' were quite accurate and if you had listened to them the two of you could have avoided many trips to the Healer's wing." Mace stood up. "Do not dismiss the Unifying Force so immediately just because you cannot understand it or because it does not always say what you wish it to. It is not like the council, it can be quite unforgiving."

Qui Gon stood up as well, using his greater height to tower over the master. "Your padawan did not believe that Anakin was the Chosen One."

Mace glowered at his old friend. "I can assure you that is not true. But perhaps you should stop worrying so much about how others perceive your padawan and concern yourself with your padawan himself." Quickly Mace left Qui Gon's quarters, leaving the other man to stand in the living room fuming.

**Xxx Elsewhere in the temple xxX**

Yoda sank into a deep meditation. He allowed the force to flow over him and it embraced him as an old friend.

He went deeper into the force and allowed himself to float in its warmth. He could see all the strings of all the lives current, past and future, all of the Living Force all wrapping together forming the giant rope that was the Unifying Force.

He followed the Unifying Force along its never ending flow, but he noticed as he went along some discord.

He went deeper.

He could now see the Unifying Force exactly like a rope, unobscured by the , and he saw a giant knot in the center, where a new length had been attached. The tail end of the original length disappeared into darkness. Yoda reached for it, curious. A warning nudge from the Force seemed to warn him that he would not like what he found, but Yoda always was a bit stubborn. He grasped the end and followed its path.

He awoke from his meditation with a gasp and a deep pain in his heart. So much suffering and death… starting from Qui Gon's death on Naboo. Yoda had witnessed white armies cutting down his friends, the destruction of the temple and the rise of the dark side. There had been oceans of blood and the echoing death screams that never were still echoed in his head.

The Force had pulled him out before he could sink deep into despair at the could have been horrors that he witnessed, but what he managed to glimpse before he awoke shook him deeply.

"Anakin the chosen one is not."


	7. Chapter 7

Qui Gon approached the training salles. He was hoping to reserve one for later that afternoon to practice with Anakin. He opened the schedule for Training room 1. His eyes narrowed when he saw Mace's name on the list for the slot just past. Currently occupying the room was Bant Eerin and Garen Muln. Qui Gon remembered that they had been very close friends of Obi Wan's. He wondered if they knew what had become of his former charge.

For all intents and purposes Obi Wan seemed to have disappeared completely from the temple after that battle on Naboo. The only news was that he was alive, anyone who knew anything else about his situation was being very tight lipped.

This was how Qui Gon was able to discover just how popular Obi Wan had been at the temple. He'd lost count of how many people had approached him asking about how his old padawan was doing. He'd also lost count of how many people grew frustrated or angry with his lack of information, many seemed to blame him or seemed to harbor resentment for him taking Anakin on as a padawan before Obi Wan had been ready to face the trials.

Qui Gon shook his head at the blindness at those people, they who couldn't understand how the future rested with Anakin. Obi Wan would have been a great knight, but he was not the one who had the power to bring balance to the force.

Qui Gon approached the doors, he was still curious if the two young knights knew anything. He heard shrieking laughter and the sound of running and horsing around from behind the doors. He pressed his ear against the door to better hear what was going on in the room.

An unfamiliar voice was shrieking and Qui Gon could hear the patter of feet as it seemed a much smaller being was being chased by Qui Gon could only assume was Healer Eerin. There was a sudden sound of something having the air forced out of it and the unfamiliar voice screaming "BANT! PUT ME DOWN! THIS IS VERY UNDIGNIFIED!"

"STUFF YOUR DIGNITY!" That was Eerin's voice. "YOU'RE JUST TOO ADORABLE!" There was the sound of something being dropped

"Garen!" The voice shouted, "Talk some sense into her- EEEKKK! CURSE YOUR SUDDEN-"

"But inevitable." Qui Gon could hear Muln cut in.

The voice continued, "-BETRAYAL!" The shrieking stopped and the voice said in a much more quiet but threatening tone. "If you try to pinch my cheeks I will bite you."

"Aw, Benny!" Eerin seemed to coo.

"No. No! I'm not kidding. You WILL lose a finger!"

There was more sounds of a struggle, Muln made a sort of grunt of pain and something was dropped.

"You're supposed to hold him Muln!" Eerin scolded.

"He's too wriggly."

"I hate all of you. You are all horrible people."

Eerin gasped. "How did you get up there?"

"Truce! Or I will not come down." The voice shouted.

"Truce, truce." Qui Gon could hear the other two occupants agree readily, and he heard a thump of what he assumed was the third occupant jumping down from whatever they could have possibly climbed on top of in the salle. Qui Gon smiled remembering how Obi Wan had a bad habit of leaping up to the sills of the windows. But those times were done now and he had enough with had enough of listening in, he waved the doors open and stepped inside.

Qui Gon almost found it comical how all three occupants froze as the door open, all three panting and flushed from whatever the hell they had been doing before. Knight Muln and Healer Eerin he had expected. He was surprised to find that the unfamiliar voice belonged to a small padawan. There was something very familiar about this young boy. Perhaps it was his ginger hair and the color of his eyes, the boy could have been Obi Wan's twin when he had been that age. Some things were different though, this boy's eyes seemed off, almost like they were too old for the face they were in. And Qui Gon noted as he reached out with the force to read the small boy, Obi Wan never had such good shielding capabilities. This boy had incredibly strong mental shields, like blast doors covering everything, Qui Gon could barely even register that the boy existed in the force. Qui Gon frowned, what was the boy hiding?

His frown seemed to motivate Healer Eerin into action. "Master Jinn. We apologize. We didn't realize that we had used up all of our time reserved for this room." She placed a gentle hand on the small padawan's shoulder, almost like a reassurance.

"Oh no." Qui Gon smiled, "you still have plenty of time. I did not mean to interrupt. I was just hoping to talk to you and Knight Muln."

"About?" Muln asked. Qui Gon could feel their mental shields shuttering into place, he knew that they knew exactly what he wanted to talk about and now he was convinced that they knew what had happened to his old apprentice.

"I want to know what happened to Obi Wan. And I know that you know what happened to him."

"I'm afraid Master Jinn, we know nothing about the fate of Obi Wan. Perhaps Bant knows more than I, since I just returned recently to the temple, but from what I understand he's more or less disappeared after he saved your life from a Sith." Muln answered.

"I know just as much as Garen. I'm sorry Master Jinn." Bant shrugged. She looked down at the little boy with them. "Ben, I think you should go find your master, you'll be late for that… that thing."

"Yes Healer Eerin." The boy bowed respectfully to the young knights and a little deeper to the Master before darting for the door.

"Wait!" Qui Gon called out and the boy froze. "You're Ben?" He looked the child up and down, he was surprised that the child had had enough strength to have been able to beat Anakin the other day during training. Despite Anakin's admittedly rough technique he had enough raw talent and strength to be able to handily beat smaller opponents of his age group who all still tended to have generally rough techniques as well. "I understood you had a misunderstanding with my padawan the other day in lightsaber training."

The other boy looked down. "Yes Master Jinn. I'm afraid we did not get along very well. It was unfortunate but I hope not something that will be repeated." His eyes darted to the door. "I'm sorry Master Jinn, but I'm afraid like Healer Eerin said I will be late for my meal with Master Windu if I do not hurry."

"Yes yes, of course." Qui Gon waved him off and turned back to his two original targets who were watching him apprehensively. "Interesting child. I can see why Master Windu took an interest in him."

"Oh yes. He's a bit too serious for his age, but he'll grow out of it I'm sure." Knight Muln agreed. "I'm afraid Master Jinn that I had an engagement for now that had slipped my mind before. Healer Eerin and I must go as well."

"Yes. Sorry Master Jinn."

Qui Gon grasped her arm as the two started past him. "Healer Eerin, Bant please. What happened to Obi Wan. You were in the healer's wing when we had been brought in, surely you must have heard something."

"Master Jinn, if there were something that I learned from my time in the healer's wing I am prohibited of sharing it with others without express permission."

"But I am his master, I have a right to know."

Bant pulled her arm free. "You _were_ his master. You wouldn't recognize him now anyway. I suggest you focus on your current charge. Don't fail this one too."

"_Bant."_ Knight Muln hissed disapprovingly but the Mon Calamari stormed out of the room. The young knight shrugged helplessly at the Master and hurried out after her.

Qui Gon sighed and tried to focus on releasing his frustrations into the force. Why were people so blind that they could not see past their resentment and understand that he had only done what was demanded of him by the force.


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: I am so sorry this is so short. This part is really important and I really just wanted to get something up since I've left you guys for quite a while without an update and I'm not sure when I'll get the next chance to update again. Sorry! Please enjoy and review!_**

Mace Windu sat with Yoda, pondering what the older master told him. "You are certain now that Anakin is not the chosen one?"

"Once he was, in the time that was to be. But changed course the Force has for the future. What was to be will not. A different path we follow now. A different chosen one there is."

"We are in an alternate universe to what was originally intended, the divergence being Qui Gon's death?" Mace clarified to ensure he understood the master fully.

Yoda nodded. "What lies ahead now know I do not."

"It cannot be worse than what you saw along the original path." Mace offered reassuringly, the description of death that Yoda gave him left him a bit shaken, he could hardly imagine what it would have been like to feel that sort of pain.

Yoda hummed in agreement. "Suspect I do that cause of the divergence the chosen one now is."

"Cause of the- Obi Wan caused the divergence. You think he is the chosen one?" Mace gasped.

"Suspect strongly, only for now I do." Yoda qualified his answer. "But makes sense, does it not?"

Mace nodded distractedly. It would make sense.

"Tell him of this, I warn you to not. Too confused now young Obi Wan is. Distressing this news will be to him."

Mace nodded again. He felt a tugging on the training bond, Obi Wan was looking for him. "I agree. For the time being, and until we can be completely sure I will not share this information with Obi Wan." The tugging became more insistent, and some distress from his young charge was starting to leak through. "If you'll excuse me Master Yoda, I am needed." Mace rose quickly and headed off to his quarters. One uncharitable thought arose that he quickly banished as he went down the halls, _'What will Qui Gon think when he discovers that he gave up training the Chosen One in order to train a boy he thought was the Chosen One?" _


	9. Chapter 9

"Ben?" Mace called out as he wandered through the room of a thousand fountains. His padawan was very fond of the area.

"Master." Obi Wan appeared from behind a tree. "What are you doing here?"

"I'd felt you looking for me."

Obi Wan hesitated, then nodded. "Yes master. But when you weren't in our quarters I thought I would come here to meditate."

"What happened?" Mace pressed. He was concerned that his young padawan had felt the need to retreat here to meditate instead of staying in their quarters. Obi Wan glanced around the room, there were too many people around for him to speak freely. Mace got the message and nodded, "Perhaps we should take our meal."

Obi Wan quickly agreed and fell in step behind his master as they headed back to their room.

"What happened Obi Wan?" Mace asked once the door to their quarters closed.

Obi Wan tugged on his braid nervously. "I ran into Master Jinn. In the training salle with Bant and Garen."

"Ah." Mace nodded. That explained the distress. He knew it was bound to happen sooner or later but had hoped to be with his charge when it did. "How did that go?"

Obi Wan shrugged. "It could have been worse. He didn't recognize me."

"I'm sorry Obi Wan."

"He didn't know me at this age, so I guess it was always a possibility." Obi Wan sighed. "Bant let him know what she thought of him."

Mace chuckled. "I'm sure she did."

Obi Wan grinned at his master's smile. "She has a bad habit of doing that."

"Someone needs to. It's good for Qui Gon to get hit over the head sometimes, and unfortunately do to my status as a council member I am not allowed to anymore. I am glad that she takes on that very difficult role."

Obi Wan's smile dropped. "I don't like that she blames him though. It is not his fault what has happened to me, and it is certainly not his fault that he still doesn't know about my… condition. It was my choice both times. And the fact is he is trying to find out where I am. Bant should give him credit for that."

Mace put a hand on his padawan's shoulder. He'd forgotten really to take into account how famously devoted Obi Wan used to be to Jinn. That devotion had led to Obi Wan landing in the healer's wing more than a few times in the past, and Mace realized that he was foolish to have assumed that just because Obi Wan had been avoiding Jinn like the plague that the devotion had disappeared. "I know Padawan. And I'm sorry to make you feel uncomfortable."

"You didn't-"

Mace raised a hand to stop him. "Bant and many in the temple are upset with Qui Gon for choosing to take Anakin on when he still had you."

Obi Wan looked away, avoiding his master's eyes. "Anakin is the chosen one."

"Master Jinn had other obligations. To you."

"Having felt the darkness that resides in Anakin I believe that Master Jinn made the right choice. If we were able to find the boy someone more dangerous certainly could have, and that sort of power and anger in the wrong hands could be devastating. The Chosen One will bring balance to the force, I think Master Jinn will be a good teacher for him."

Mace internally rolled his eyes. What the sith had Jinn done to deserve such adoration from this amazing student? And what should he do now with the knowledge he learned from Yoda about the Chosen One? He decided the best thing would be to change the subject. "How did training go with Bant and Garen otherwise?"

Obi Wan groaned. "Bant has decided that my sympathy grace period is over and now she will torture me for the rest of my second childhood. Garen is a dirty nasty traitor, he's joined her side."

Mace smiled. "Did you get any practice in after I left?"

"I got practice escaping from hostiles if that counts. Beyond that, no not really. Not for lack of trying."

Mace rubbed his charge's hair. "Well learning how to escape is a good skill to have." Obi Wan nodded. His stomach growled betraying his hunger, making Mace smile again. "And clearly we need to feed that monster in your stomach. The way that thing growls people are going to think I starve you."

Obi Wan blushed deeply and then quickly became more solemn and serious. "I think that I should tell Master Jinn what happened."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I am so sorry I haven't been updating. I kind of lost my inspiration for this story for a while and have been busy with other projects + real life. I will try to update on a much more regular basis from now on but the chapters might be pretty short.**

"Well, I know that they are the council Garen, but that doesn't give them the right to just trample procedure. Rushing midichlorian tests, not telling us who they are on or even letting us see the results. I don't like it."

Qui Gon hung back behind a pillar in the cafeteria listening to Knight Muln and Healer Eerin chat while getting their meals. It had been an unpleasant run in yesterday, but it had left Qui Gon convinced that they knew what had happened to Obi Wan, and that they were in some sort of contact with them. He hoped if he followed them long enough he would finally get some answers about his former padwan.

"Oh come on Bant, you just don't like not being in on a secret." Knight Muln laughed.

"Oh come on. You have to admit, it is a bit strange. Do you think it's about-" Qui Gon saw Muln elbow the healer.

"I would not be surprised. But whatever it is about if we need to know we'll eventually be told. In the mean time remember, the walls have ears."

Qui Gon wondered if they had spotted him, but when they continued to chat amicably about other temple gossip he decided he was safe. He checked his chrono and realized that he needed to head back to his quarters to meet Anakin for dinner. With some reluctance, not wanting to give up his hunt for Obi Wan yet, he headed back to his rooms.

Xxx

"Are you sure you want to go through with this Padawan?" Mace asked with some concern.

"Do you think it is a bad idea?"

Mace sighed. "Obi Wan, if you believe that this is the right course of action, then I will be happy to help you in whatever way you need. But…"

Obi Wan half grimaced half smirked, "but Master Jinn might not take it so well."

"That is an understatement."

Obi Wan nodded. "I do understand. But I have a feeling that this is the best thing to do. Qui Gon is becoming distracted by his concern for what has become of me, and if he is training the chosen one he needs to be focused."

Mace very carefully did not think about the test results he had gotten back from the healers, "I'll send him a message then."

xxx

Qui Gon stared at the message incredulously. Mace Windu had the gall, after their last exchange, to for all intents and purposes order him to go to Mace's quarters that evening to "discuss a very important issue". Not even a hint of what could possibly be so important. With a snort Qui Gon replied tersely, declining. He didn't even have a chance to put the pad down before it chimed with Mace's reply.

_We will meet you in your quarters then._

_ -Mace_


	11. Chapter 11

Qui Gon frowned when the door chime rang. He was feeling rather petulant, grumpy that Mace was forcing an interaction considering how badly the last time they had talked had gone and exasperated by the lack of information about Obi Wan. He was the boy's master for crying out loud. He had the right to know what had become of his former charge.

Luckily Anakin had found some friends in his age group to go meditate with so he wouldn't have to keep a check on his tongue when he inevitably lost patience with his old friend and bullheaded council member, Qui Gon thought as he opened the door. He was surprised to see Ben was with Mace, fidgeting nervously. "Master Windu."

"Master Jinn. I'm glad you could see us." Mace smiled wanly.

"Well, you said it was important. Please come in." Qui Gon waved them in. "Have a seat." Mace seemed overly concerned with his padawan who looked extremely nervous. Qui Gon realized they were probably here about the incident between Ben and Anakin. Perhaps Ben had admitted that there were no dark feelings and that he had been at fault for the exchange. Perhaps he was actually going to get an apology from Master Windu. He wasn't sure he'd survive the shock if that happened. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Mace sighed and looked at his padawan again who gave him a tiny nod. "We're here… to tell you what happened to Obi Wan."

Qui Gon sat up, interest peaked, all those earlier uncharitable thoughts instantly forgotten. "Is he alright?"

Mace nodded. "It's difficult to explain, because this will come as a shock. But… well-"

"I'm Obi Wan." Ben interrupted.

There was a beat of silence while Qui Gon processed what the little padawan had said. "I'm sorry, what?"

Ben didn't make eye contact with either master in the room. "I am Obi Wan. When I saved your life on Naboo… I woke up in the healer's wing like this. I don't know why or how. But-"

Qui Gon stood up suddenly, pacing the room in agitation. "What is this? That is impossible. Mace, what is going on?"

Mace sighed, he knew this was going to be difficult. "We are working on figuring out how exactly this happened. But this is Obi Wan."

"This is some type of joke." Qui Gon retorted. He saw Ben flinch back and fiddle with the hem of his robe in a way that was so reminiscent of Obi Wan that- No. "If you think I'm going to believe this- I want to know what happened to my padawan. "

"Your former padawan." Mace corrected coolly. "When you were injured Obi Wan used his own life force to heal you. Doing so has dramatically changed the course of the Universe. Master Yoda has confirmed this, through his meditations he saw that you were supposed to die on Naboo." Qui Gon saw Ben look up sharply at his master, apparently the boy had not been told that part of the story. "And it has dramatically changed him. This is Obi Wan."

"The use of life force in that way would kill that person." Qui Gon argued. "It wouldn't regress them back to childhood."

"True. But like I said, by saving you Obi Wan changed the course of the entire Universe. When one meddles with the impossible, I guess you should expect impossible things to happen. Master Yoda says that many things that had been prophesied before are no longer true."

"Master, I did not mean to cause you distress with this information. I knew you were searching for information about me and I felt that it was time to put your mind at ease." Obi Wan cut in. "I could bring up any of our old missions if you would like. Tell you things that only you or I would know. What do I need to tell you for you to believe me?"

Qui Gon glared back and forth between Mace and this boy claiming to be Obi Wan, but inside he was wavering. Could it really be? The boy looked like how he would have expected Obi Wan to look at that age, certainly acted like Obi Wan. And what would Mace gain from this sort of trickery anyway? But this was impossible, there was no way around that fact. "Fine. Let us put an end to this for once and for all. If you really are Obi Wan, when I was dying in Naboo. What were the last words I said to you?"

The boy hesitated and nodded solemnly. "That was the worst moment of my life, I don't think I'll ever forget it." He took a deep shuddering breath. "The last words you said to me were, 'He is the chosen one. He will bring balance. Train him.'"


End file.
